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Companies lost in proportion. Oh! what an army of Texas soldiers are lying at old camp Nelson.

Gen. King has informed me since the war, that there are buried there 3500 Texas soldiers. If we had been in battle during that time and lost that number, we would have thought it ruinous, but disease takes them one by one, and in the end kills more than the sword.

I could have stayed here, as nurse until Christmas, but seeing them fall around me of disease, I thought I would prefer the dangers of the army; so the first means of conveyance, I obtained leave of the hospital authorities and started for camp. On the way, we passed through Brownsville, Ark. The second day brought us to camp. I found my cousin, John Meek, in low health from which he never recovered. In a few days, we took up the line of march to Little Rock.

From the last camp, Bayon Meter [Bayou Meto], John Meek and Thomas Boice, were sent to hospital at Little Rock.

From this place, we marched up the river three miles above Little Rock. Our destination, so said, was Ft. Smith, but we were stopped by a tremendous rain; the whole land was so saturated, that the soldiers were compelled to make brush piles or pole scaffolds, to make their beds upon to be out of the water.

While here there occurred a vacancy for third Lieut., owing to the resignation of Lieut. Robertson. We had three candidates, to wit: Russell Adams, H. W. Collins and T. W. Stephens. The latter was elected by a large majority.

At this place, Joe Thomas, a member of our Company, was punished for some disobedience by having to dig up some stumps and trees. I do not now know what the offense was.

From here, we went back to Little Rock. Here was the first time, or place, I had ever seen a steam car, or steam boat.

Here, Gen. [John G.] Walker took command of the Division -- reviewed the troops one of the coldest days I most ever saw. The men, when allowed to break ranks, would pile up like logs to keep from freezing to death. But not withstanding the inclemency of the weather, Gen. Walker stopped in front of each Company, and received an introduction to the Capt., and delivered a short talk.

He was a small man, weight about 140 lbs., height about 5 ft., 10 in., auburn hair, very large blue eyes, long bunch of beard upon his chin, and a mustache; in all a handsome man. He was mounted upon a nice, iron gray horse, of which you will hear more anon.

While here, we heard of the death of Thomas Boice.

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We again took up the march to Ft. Smith; went several miles, perhaps a day's march, camped in a mountainous country.

We spent Christmas of 1862 here. They issued pork, something very rare. Here I was on guard at least one night, and I yet remember the countersign, it was "Moscow". Here Joe Bailey, a member of our Company, who was detailed as nurse at hospital at Little Rock, ran away, came to camp, and the hospital authorities sent a guard and took him back.

We again marched back to Little Rock, crossed the river, went two or three miles in the direction of Pine Bluff, remained a day. I procured a permit, and went to town. I roamed the place over in the forenoon, in search of the penitentiary, something I then had never seen. Did not find it, but in all the changes incident to soldier life, I was afterward permitted to see one -- the peculiar circumstances I will relate in its proper place. After 12:00 o'clock, others and I began to look about for dinner, but failed entirely in the town. We then came out one mile from town to the "Traveler's Rest". Here, by the nicest management, we got a very good meal for $1.00 each, in Confederate money. After dinner, we went back and strolled over town; saw many things, among them, a gambling salloon where I saw my first games of Faro, Monte and Roulette. From there, I went to the River Bluff, where some drivers were trying to cross a drove of beeves on a Pontoon bridge, which they failed, in part, to do, owing to the beeves crowding to one place, and breaking through. Many swam to the shore from which they started, and many were drowned.

I returned to camp, wearied from my day's tramp. That night occurred an incident that I will here relate. On the road between camp and town was placed a guard, I suppose to keep the men in camp, who had orders to shoot anyone who would not halt. It so happened that a man from Co. E, of our Reg't. was on post about nightfall, when a man, who was a grave digger, was passing that way from his work going home, and failing to halt when challenged once, twice and three times, was shot by the guard, and killed. It was learned afterwards that he was deaf.

At this time, the enemy was threatening the Ark. Post, consequently we were ordered to Pine Bluff -- we reached there, after two or three days march. Camped, but in an hour or two were ordered forward on forced march. We travelled part of that night, next two days, and a part of each night, which brought us within twenty miles of the conflict. We expected to reach there next day, but we received news early of the surrender of the fort, whereupon we marched five miles in retreat. We halted at a place called Three Levies, threw up some entrenchments, and felled the timber around our fortifications and awaited the enemy. For several days, during our stay here, we were drenched by the heaviest rain I most ever saw. I was on post at the time, and it seemed the two hours never would pass. I could hold up my hand, and the water would run from the elbow of my sleeve in a stream; and when my time was out, the fires in camp were all drowned out, and I really felt fears of freezing to death before I could start one up, but after some effort I started it, and lived to get warm again. On top of this tremendous rain that night, there fell a heavy snow, and with this we had to burn ash wood entirely,

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which makes the strongest smoke of any fuel; and that, together with the brightness of the snow, so blinded the men, that they almost had to feel their way. Had the enemy come, we would have been powerless. Before the snow thawed, we were ordered to send off all the baggage, except what we could carry. And in another day, about the time the snow began to melt, we were ordered to take up our bed and walk through snow, mud and slush in the direction of Pine Bluff. The road ran along the river bank, which made it the most wearisome march of the war. The mud was knee deep in many places - - a number of men lost their shoes. John Meek plodding through mud, sick, was one of the number. This time, for once, during the war, I failed to make the march -- slept in a pea pen, six miles in rear of the Command. I over took them next day at 10:00 o'clock a.m. Went to the Capt. and got a mule, and had the least man in the Company detailed, so both could ride, to go back after John Meek, but just as he was starting, he came up barefooted, having lost his shoes in the mud.

Where I slept in the pea pen, there occurred a funny little incident -- the corn crib was also occupied by soldiers, until it was very much crowded, and caused two men to fall out, or disagree in the night. They cursed each other, and one challenged the other for a fight next morning; he accepted, but when morning came, behold, they were good friends, and had failed to recognize each other in the darkness. They were the worst plagued men, I ever saw, and they slipped away as easily as possible.

At the last named camp, we only remained one night after I came up. We marched about two miles above Pine Bluff, and camped for several weeks. Here John Meek obtained a furlough on account of disability, but finding himself too feeble to make the trip home, concluded to spend it in the country, near camp, and he obtained a place four miles from camp, at Dr. Ursery's. I tried to go with him, but could not get leave from the fact that I was able for duty; but got a convalescent man to go and stay a week. He returned and reported him better. In a few days, I obtained a permit to visit him. I found him more feeble than I anticipated. I took erysipelas on my arm that day, so I could not stay and wait on him. I had to return to camp for medical attention, so I got the authorities to send Gus Carpenter (the best nurse we had) to stay a week with him. He and I were first cousins and were reared near each other.

I will record the remedy the surgeon gave for the erysipelas, which was a poultice of common lye soap. It relieved me in a few hours.

While here at this camp, they shot two men, by the sentence of Court Martial, in an old field below Pine Bluff. In a few days afterward, they shot another a few miles from there. A young man, named Dale, a member of Col. Waterhouse's Regiment. This man was in such ill health, and so feeble, that I am satisfied he would have died in a few days.

The manner of execution by military authority, may be of interest to the young; so I will state that their grave is generally dug in some old field, where the army may be assembled, and they and their coffins are hauled there in a wagon, followed by the band playing some mournful piece;